Volume 15, Issue 4 — February 27, 2018
|
Industry News Control & Signal Processing Audio Lighting TVs Cables, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens and Accessories
|
|
|
Aesthetics, Part the First — Minimalism and the Tyranny of the Black Rectangle
By Leonard Suskin Pixel and Ink-Stained Wretch
The past centuries have spanned many technological eras, each with a dominant aesthetic as well as dominant technologies.
The Victorian era was the age of steam, of the first attempts to harness electricity. It was also an era of brass, polished wood, colored glass. It was an era in which a technical marvel was also expected to be a thing of beauty. Modern “steampunk” culture — a literary and stylistic movement — strives to recapture this today.
Technology and culture marched on, from the clean art-deco lines of the diesel age to the exploration of plastics in the early atomic age. One thing is certain — each age had a look. A television or phonograph from 1950 was clearly different in look and style from one in 1980, but each had a look that fit its generation and culture.
Until today.
At some point, perhaps with the first iPod, we collectively fell in love with minimalism as a design choice for technology. Soon thereafter, we chose the featureless black rectangle as the ideal shapes. I own no fewer than seven featureless black rectangles in varying sizes — three LCD TVs, two computer monitors, a tablet and a phone.
Why does this matter?
For some products it not only doesn’t matter, it can be an advantage. The Shure MXA910 microphone is designed to invisibly fit into a standard 2×2 ceiling grid; this saves some of the conflict between the AV and interior design disciplines. When the Clear One was the only available digital array microphone there’d often be a debate between aesthetics and audio reproduction and whichever solution was chosen would be a compromise. The Beamformer does have a more distinctive look than the MX910, but in this case a distinctive look is not what most of us want in a microphone.
A video display, however, fills a different niche than a microphone, often serving as a visual focal point, be it in a boardroom or a living room. There is a growing part of me that wonders: Why do we want our visual focal points to be featureless black rectangles?
I was thinking about how easily this could be improved while running on the elliptical machine at the gym one morning. Here’s my view:
As you can see, the gym has a design aesthetic, one rooted in the later part of last century. They also have a color scheme — everything is red and yellow — the weight machines, the accent walls, even the staircase to the mezzanine is red-painted steel. The signs reminding you to wipe down your machine are red and yellow.
The TVs — including the one mounted right in front of your face — are black.
Imagine how much more unified a look they’d achieve if they were only featureless red rectangles, or yellow rectangles. The treadmills, stationary bikes and ellipticals even have yellow-painted VESA mounts for black flat panels. For manufacturers of flat panels, are options for differently colored bezels really that difficult a thing to offer?
Why are we so in love with black and so afraid of embellishment?
Imagine how much more unified it would look without the red and yellow being broken up by dull black.
As an AV professional, imagine not having to debate aesthetics.
Uniformity of theme is one reason I long for a splash of color, but ornamentation can be more — It can be a way for a piece of tech to become something special, something which creates an emotional connection. Something more than a mere tool. Read this passage from Cathrynne Valente’s The Boy Who Lost Fairyland:
“The gramophone unfolded four long, curved brass legs from its wooden table. Each one of them ended in a curly lion’s paw like Thomas’s bathtub. It had been beautiful once. Bold green and blue filigree patterns still gleamed on its bell, though the paint peeled and cracked. The gramophone tottered up and backward like a baby bird…”
So yes, this was an ordinary gramophone a fairy had brought to life and was keeping as a sort of pet. What occurred to me as I read this passage is that we have relatively few things — especially in the tech world — which are lovely enough to become cherished and special items, that we could imagine as a pet or a plaything. Minimalism does have its place and might fit in some places and some situations, but must minimalism be the ONLY design choice? Can we break free of the black rectangle?
There are signs of hope. At this year’s CES, Sony introduced a short-through projector with an Italian Marble surface and shiny chrome legs, clearly meant to serve as a handsome piece of furniture as well as an admittedly high-priced bit of technology. Is it the best choice for a lobby display? Perhaps not. What does make it interesting is that the way the object looks and the way it fits into a space were clearly considerations. It’s not merely a display, it’s a handsome piece of furniture which, on its own, makes a statement.
Samsung offers three colors for “picture frame TV” — walnut, blond wood, and white. While three colors of one frame style are hardly a dizzying array of choices, it is a step towards having more options, to breaking free of the tyranny of the featureless black rectangle. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Picking Up Pennies In Front Of A Steamroller
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
I have a tendency to subvert aphorisms and expressions to suit my own purposes.
We all do it to some degree when we use the language of sports as either an metaphor or an analogy. At work we all know you’re not talking about hockey when you say you have to “take one for the team.”
I don’t think of repurposing as abusing the meaning of things. It’s not like a malapropism; the substitution of the correct word for a similar sounding word with a completely different meaning, although those can be strangely profound. I prefer to think of it as recycling: Taking something old and giving it a new life.
In investing, there’s a widely-known expression that describes, as Wikipedia puts it, “An investment which normally provides a payoff of small positive returns, while carrying a small but significant risk of catastrophic losses.”
The expression, if you’re not familiar, is “picking up pennies in front of a steam roller.”
Again, from Wikipedia: “The term was coined by journalist Martin Wolf and economist John Kay to describe investments with a ‘high probability of a modest gain and a low probability of huge losses in any period.’”
It’s not too much of a stretch to see how that scenario can apply to business activities as well.
One that comes to mind for me is the risk associated with pursuing new business in new channels. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that. Revenue growth isn’t always easy to come by and finding net new revenue from new partners outside of your existing channels is a good thing. But it does carry its own hazards.
For one thing, too much focus on cultivating those new sources of revenue can distract you from properly servicing your existing customer base in your already-established channels. What happens then? Your revenue from them decreases. That’s not really what you were hoping to accomplish.
There are a few necessary steps to approach this to minimize your risk. The first is to conduct an objective assessment of whether your company has maximized its revenue from customers in your established channels. How well do you know each of your customers? Do you know how much of their business you’re getting, versus what’s going to your peers and competitors? Do you have a clear picture of their own business prospects, not just with you, but overall? Are they doing well? Are they struggling? Are they likely to be up or down or gone next year?
If you don’t have the answers to those questions, you have a lot more work to do, tuning up your existing sales relationships so that they’re firing on all cylinders.
Unless you have your existing sales channels fully maximized, seeking net new business somewhere else is putting the cart before the horse. Assuming that you’ve done all that, then it makes sense to seek out new opportunities, under the condition that you still need to allocate time and resources to ensure that your existing customers are happy and continue to order from you. I’ll be honest, this isn’t always easy. There are only so many hours in the day, and whatever the size of your sales team, there’s only so much each of them can achieve at any time.
At the same time, all emphasis is no emphasis. It’s hard to focus on everything, at once, all the time. That’s why scheduling and time management is essential. It’s imperative that your team use planning and communication to make sure no one “forgets” about a customer.
If you like analogies, think of the performer at the circus, spinning plates on the ends of long poles. He has to keep all the plates spinning fast enough, even as he adds more plates to the trick.
While it wasn’t coined specifically for how I’m using it here, picking up pennies in front of the steam roller is a dramatic expression, and drives home the point that if you focus on one set of rewards you may end up costing yourself more than you gained. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
|
RTI Acquires Miravue Product Line, Bolsters AV Distribution Offering With Video-Over-IP System RTI today announced that it has acquired the Miravue video-over-IP distribution solution from the company of the same name. Continuing its efforts to provide dealers with a comprehensive, end-to-end solution, RTI will offer the RTI Miravue VIP-1 video-over-IP system for powerful, scalable AV distribution over Ethernet, coax cable, and wireless networking.
The Miravue VIP-1 acts as a transmitter, receiver, network switch and wireless access point aimed at lowering AV distribution costs by reducing cabling and installation time by going AV-over-IP. The unit supports HDMI/HDCP 1.x and 2.x video sources with low latency. In addition, non-HDMI sources such as mobile devices, network video streams from IP cameras, and network-attached storage may be viewed without the need for additional equipment. The VIP-1’s built-in scaler matches the displays’ maximum resolution, while automatically providing stereo downmixing and lip-sync adjustment.
RTI is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
The Highly-Anticipated ISE In-Review Video Drops!Each year, we try and produce a fun (and different) way to see the shows we attend and cover with out rAVe NOW live show coverage team. We were at ISE in Amsterdam last week and we put together a video that we think you’ll not only love as much as we do, but it’ll also give you a behind-the-scenes look at how we are about to shoot 1300+ videos in only four days. And, if this video doesn’t convince you to attend ISE 2019 next year, nothing will!
And, if you want to watch any of the 1,400+ new product videos we shot, see the 2,000+ photos from the show floor, listen to any of the 50+ podcasts or read any of the 300 or so news stories we write to cover the show, check out our ISE 2018 Microsite here.
You can watch it here on our site.
Or, you can watch it on YouTube here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Registration Opens for CEDIA Business XchangeRegistration for CEDIA’s 2018 CEDIA Business Xchange is now open. This year’s event, hosted at The Camby in Phoenix, Ariz. from May 16-18, offers attendees an opportunity to discuss their biggest challenges with other industry leaders, develop new strategies for success and hear directly from experts around this year’s focus: Design Thinking, a process to solve problems faster and better.
Developed by the Stanford (Design) d.school, Design Thinking is a framework for understanding challenges and developing solutions from the users’ perspective. It’s used all over the world by the most innovative thinkers and companies, including Disney, Apple, and Samsung just to name a few.
The sessions are hands-on and interactive and will be presented by Michael Shanks, a senior faculty member at Stanford University in Technology Science, Urban Studies, and in the Center for Design Research, the research arm of Stanford’s d.school, along with esteemed CEDIA members Rich Green, Rich Green Design and Peter Aylett, Archimedia.
Business Xchange will also feature an Emerging Trends Forum, presented by CEDIA’s Technology Council. This intensive workshop explores how both consumer and technology trends will affect the home technology professional’s business in the coming years. This session will be a dynamic precursor to the Design Thinking workshop.
Attendees can save $150 by registering before March 28. Additional information about the 2018 CEDIA Business Xchange can be found here.Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
ISE Sets All-New Records – rAVe’s Coverage Is More Than All Other Publications Combined
Throughout 15 halls, visitors experienced a vibrant showcase of the latest AV and systems integration technologies, products and solutions as ISE confirmed its position as the international destination of choice for AV professionals. The number of exhibitors totalled 1,296, of which 294 were exhibiting at ISE for the first time. Combined, they filled 53,000sqm of exhibition floor space. Floor space already confirmed for ISE 2019 currently stands at 103 percent of the total booked for ISE 2018. The number of registered visitors by the end of the show had reached 80,923, an increase of 10.3 percent on the 2017 edition. Importantly, almost 20,000 visitors attended the last day of the show. On a distinctly positive note, over 30 percent of the total attendees were visiting ISE for the first time, a key benchmark for exhibitors in their quest to develop new sales leads. Highlights of the show included: an Opening Address from architect and inventor Carlo Ratti that explored the evolution of smart building and ‘Senseable Cities’, nine dedicated B2B conferences covering a wide range of AV topics from innovation and design to theme park ‘night-time spectaculars’, a Stand Awards competition, ‘Tech Tours’ to three leading AV installations including the Amsterdam ArenA and five days of professional development programming curated and delivered by AVIXA and CEDIA. ISE 2018 also saw the debut of the World Masters of Projection Mapping competition, a joint venture between the Amsterdam Light Festival, RAI Amsterdam and ISE. The competition saw leading video artists’ project video artworks onto the EYE Filmmuseum in the centre of the city. The competition culminated in Florian and Michael Quistrebert receiving the winner’s award for their artwork Stripes 5 on the last day of the show. Many exhibitors once again used the show as a launchpad for hundreds of new products, technologies and solutions. Technology and business trends included: a growth in IP and the crossover between broadcast and AV; commercially viable virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies and solutions; the increase of devices for the smart home; the divergence of digital signage with both smart systems and ‘plug and play’ gaining traction; the increase in small pitch LED displays; 4K everywhere; IoT everywhere; the growth of projection mapping; networked audio and the continued progression of the collaboration market. For both AVIXA and CEDIA, the show provided a unique platform for the associations to reinforce recent initiatives and to cement their key role as providers of exemplary professional development programmes. ISE 2019 will be held at the RAI Amsterdam from 5-8 February 2019. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Crestron Unveils New Horizon Keypads at ISE 2018 Crestron announced its new line of Horizon keypads this month at ISE 2018. Available in highly configurable single-gang models that combine up to four across, the new line offers better aesthetics, four different button styles, programmable multi-color backlighting, interchangeable custom top and bottom trim pieces and Cresnet wired communications. Crestron’s Horizon line of keypads are being launched in Hall-2, Stand 2-C20 at ISE 2018, 6 – 9 February, 2018.
The Horizon line is available in single-gang and up to four keypads can be ganged together. Dealers can choose from four button styles: single, side-to-side rocker, small up-down rocker and large up-down rocker.
Enhanced readability under any lighting conditions, every model in the Horizon line includes multi-color backlighting that illuminates the high-quality laser engraved text on the buttons. When the button is pressed, it glows two to three times brighter than the inactive buttons. And each button can be programmed to glow in any color.
The Cresnet bus is the communications backbone for Horizon keypads, along with many Crestron lighting controllers, shade motors, sensors and other devices. Cresnet is a simple, yet flexible four-wire network that provides bidirectional communication and 24VDC power for Cresnet devices. Cresnet supports up to 252 keypads and other devices.
Horizon keypad accessories will be available for a 120VAC outlet, a 120VAC outlet + USB charger and keystone jack. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Gefen Ships Four New AV-over-IP Products Gefen, from Nortek Security & Control (NSC), today announced that it is now shipping its EXT-UHD-LANS-TX, EXT-UHD-LANS-RX, EXT-UHDKA-LANS-TX and EXT-UHDKA-LANS-RX models, all part of the new Gen 2.0 AV-over-IP product line.
The new EXT-UHDKA-LANS-TX (sender) and EXT-UHDKA-LANS-RX (receiver) solutions enhance AV extension and management for workstation environments where video and USB connectivity is required. In addition to basic KVM functionality, the new KM Emulation feature facilitates real-time simultaneous Keyboard and Mouse control of each source from all connected workstations, eliminating the inherent limitations of earlier systems.
The receivers features a built-in scaler to help optimize the image for a variety of displays and different viewing environments. A powerful video wall controller accommodates any screen configuration up to 16×16 and provides flexibility in sizing and manipulating live and signage content in demanding installations. The EXT-UHDKA-LANS-RX’s integrated USB hub with two USB 2.0 and two USB 1.1 ports accommodates touch panels, keyboard and mouse and a variety of supported devices. This feature, along with analog audio inputs and outputs, make these products perfect for use in collaborative and interactive installations. A built in 2-port Gigabit switch on each Receiver allows the daisy-chaining of additional Receivers or other IP-enabled devices. In applications, such as digital signage, where content is often replicated on multiple displays throughout the installation, the ability to cascade the Receivers removes the requirement for each cable to be run directly to the main network switch. This extends signal range far beyond the limits of a point-to-point video distribution system.
With support for HDMI and control (RS232 and IR), the EXT-UHD-LANS-TX (sender) and EXT-UHD-LANS-RX (receiver) are ideal for installations that only require HDMI and control connectivity. In education, hospitality, retail, and signage there will always be a need to manage just video, audio, and control without the USB capability and KVM features offered in the other Gefen 4K UHD AV over IP products.
These new products are capable of 4K 60 Hz 4:2:0 maximum input resolution, and maximum output resolution of 4K 30 Hz 4:4:4. When used with Gefen DVI-to-HDMI cables, they support the use of single-link DVI sources and displays up to 1080p Full HD and 1920×1200 (WUXGA). Each cable run from a Sender to a Receiver or from a Sender or Receiver to the network switch and can be up to 100 meters (330 feet). The Sender and Receiver can be used as extenders in a one-to-one system, or as nodes in a virtual matrix environment where any source can be routed to any or all displays, supporting up to 39,900 Senders and a combination of just over 65,000 Senders and Receivers.
All the tech specs are here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
ELAN Launches 8.2 Software Update ELAN today introduced the 8.2 software update to the ELAN UI at ISE 2018 in Amsterdam in the Nortek Security & Control Stand 1-N50.
The new ELAN Discovery feature simplifies set-up with the auto-discovery and auto-configuration of compatible devices on the network. Discovery scans the system’s IP networks – including wireless – to find all devices by IP and MAC addresses. Devices with the ELAN beacon can be provisioned and installed with just a click, saving substantial time on every project.
ELAN 8.2 also marks the introduction of the new ELAN Views feature, which allows integrators to create a custom floor plan rendering of an installation, and view and control subsystems in 2D or 3D space. Integrators can quickly move from standard sub-system view to 2D or 3D view, and back again. Event Maps can be used to trigger the Views layout, enabling homeowners to immediately see a tripped security sensor displayed in the 2D or 3D model, for example.
Additionally, Cloud IR Library source interfaces can now be modified through ELAN 8.2. Integrators can export, import and create copies of IR Library Sources, and a full library is available to be loaded on a PC for offline access.
ELAN 8.2 also elevates the personalized smart home experience with the most ultra-intuitive, easy-to-use software to date. ELAN 8.2’s all new ELAN Touch Panel Alarm feature allows homeowners to set one-time and repeating alarms to ELAN touch panels with the option of a crescendo (soft wake) function that eases them into their day. Custom installers can also trigger Event Maps (multiple events from a single command) from Alarms, further customizing the experience for the homeowner. The 8.2 release also includes a new enhanced security provision that requires a user account password, and a new touch panel disable feature that allows users to clean them more easily.
ELAN 8.2 also offers ELAN HR10 Remote support, expanding the homeowner’s system interface options. The ELAN HR10, a single-room control solution, makes it easier than ever to get the ELAN user interface in more areas than before. It includes a 2.4” Color LCD screen for easy operation and controls one media zone along with lighting and climate.
Other enhanced 8.2 features include an AVR Refresh; updated Device Drivers (offering Autonomic eCast support); ELAN API Updates, which allow the developer to access new media controls introduced in ELAN 8; a Core Installer Update in which backup options are exposed in the installer user interface, and more.
Elan is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Techlogix Networx Intros Backwards Compatible USB Over Fiber ExtenderTechLogix Networx is expanding its USB over fiber optic line card with the introduction of the TL-FO-USB3-02, the first extender set to be backwards and forwards compatible with USB 3.1, USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 signals.
The TL-FO-USB3-02 extends USB 3.1, 2.0 and 1.1 devices simultaneously up to 200 meters (650 feet) over duplex multimode fiber. Swappable SFP fiber modules allow integration with single mode fiber for longer distance applications.
Additionally, an integrated Ethernet channel provides 100Mbps of LAN pass-through from the transmitter to the receiver. For added versatility, the receiver also features four USB type A ports allowing four separate USB devices to be simultaneously connected. Each port receives 1.2A (6W) of power over USB.
TechLogix debuted the TL-FO-USB3-02 at ISE. More information is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Legrand Intros Nuvo P20 Valena Life Keypad Legrand is demo’ing it’s new Nuvo P20 Valena Life Keypad (NV-P20-VL) for its Player Portfolio whole home audio system at ISE 2018. Pairing operational simplicity with contemporary style, the P20 is designed to complement the company’s Valena Life wall plates, which are popular throughout the EMEA markets. With a capacitive backlit display, the keypad offers convenient in-wall control of volume, play, pause and next/previous track functions of a single zone within a Nuvo Player Portfolio system. Additionally, a single button allows users to easily access five favorite system presets.
The P20 operates in sync with the Nuvo Player Portfolio, which directs and controls music and other audio content throughout the home. In addition, it can be set up using only the app, with no PC required. It is powered via a single RJ45 802.11af PoE connection
The Nuvo P20 keypad, available in twhite, ivory and aluminum, is available now for $249. The Nuvo P20 keypad is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Control4 Announces Release of the CA-1 Automation Controller Control4 Corporation announces the immediate availability of the Control4 CA-1 Automation Controller. The CA-1 is specifically for lighting, temperature control and security in a home. At $350 list, the new controller is designed to appeal to homebuilders, MDU developers and hoteliers, giving them a way to differentiate with the inclusion of the most sought-after smart home experiences.
Designed specifically for smart home projects that desire lighting, comfort and/or security, the CA-1 Automation Controller includes Ethernet, WiFi, Zigbee and serial communication, leveraging the large Control4 database of thousands of third-party devices to ensure integration interoperability. Using the optional Z-Wave module ($70), the CA-1 is compatible with a select set of Z-Wave control devices including door, window, water, flood and temperature sensors, electrical outlets and dimmer outlet modules. The CA-1 also features Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) so it can be installed virtually anywhere with a single network cable.
The new Control4 CA-1 is $350. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Hogar Controls Debuts Pro Solutions Line for Smart Homes and Buildings at ISE 2018 Hogar Controls is launching their new Pro Solutions lineup of control and automation products for the residential and commercial markets at ISE 2018. At the core of Hogar Pro Solutions suite is the Home Controller (HC) Pro, a compact hub that uses Z-Wave Plus, Zigbee and Wi-Fi to connect and control smart home devices. This plug-in controller is small enough to fit into any power outlet, yet powerful enough to control hundreds of smart products such as lighting, thermostats, video, sensors, locks and more. The HC Pro is easy to set up through the Hogar Controls app, which users can also use to control their devices or set scenes. The Hogar HC Pro is shipping internationally now and will be available in the EU in Q1 2018 for a starting $410/ €335.
The Hogar Pro Solutions line also includes the Hogar Touch Panel series including the Pebble Touch Button, a motion sensing camera, a video doorbell, the Milo Smart Home Speaker, and powerful all-in-one modules for lighting and shade control.
The Hogar Controls Touch Panel series challenges every perception of what a smart lighting device looks like in the home, hotel room or commercial environment. With sleek design elements, the Touch Panel series blends style with technology and allows users to set customized smart lighting and control actions through programmable buttons that can be as simple as dimming the lights to 50 percet or as complex as controlling multiple devices through smart scenes.
The Touch Panels offer support for Z-Wave or Zigbee to ensure wireless compatibility across a wide range of smart home products and in cooperation with the project design. With features like multi-touch control of devices through pre-programmed touch, tap or finger swipe, a variety of configurations including built-in sockets (select models), and access via the Hogar Controls mobile app, the Touch Panel series offers integrators a stylish yet powerful option for easy in-room smart home control.
Available in various styles, colors, and control button options like – One Touch Panel, One Touch Dimmer Panel, Two Touch Panel, Three Touch Panel, Four Touch Panel, Eight Touch Panel and Ten Touch Panel – the panels offer a variety of options to best fit a home or property’s size and individual system requirements. Touch Panels are shipping internationally now and will available in the EU in Q1 2018 for a starting $110/ €90 with a one-year warranty.
Pebble from Hogar Controls is a new wireless touch button that allows you to customize up to 10 actions such as smart lighting, shading, thermostats, locks, and more with a single touch. With a small aluminum frame and a glass touch top, Pebble features customization that is unique for each user’s activity. Adding to Hogar’s home control portfolio, Pebble is easy-to-use with a simple touch, gentle tap or finger swipe. Pebble is shipping internationally now and will be available in the EU in Q1 2018 for $49/ €39 with a one-year warranty.
Adding security and access control to the Hogar Controls portfolio, the Hogar Video Doorbell combines a wide-angle HD video camera with two-way audio and a visitor notification button to give users a real time look at who’s at the door. Through integration with HC Pro and the Hogar mobile app, the Video Doorbell allows for visual access control of any entryway along with remote access via a connected door lock.
With two-way audio built into the Video Doorbell, once the user is notified of a guest or visitor, they can communicate with them via the mobile app whether they are in the dwelling or far away. The Video Doorbell also works as a motion sensor, detecting movement near the door and can be set to send pictures right to users’ smart phones. Hogar Video Doorbell will be available in the EU in Q1 2018 for €145 with a one-year warranty.
The Hogar Controls Sensor Camera is another smart security device for indoor use, giving users a high-definition view of any interior room when set to an away mode. Hogar Sensor Camera will be available in the EU in Q1 2018 for €130 with a one-year warranty.
The 3-in-1 multi-module is a tiny controller that enables users to turn any existing switch or socket into a Z-Wave smart switch. At just over a half inch (12 mm), the module can be easily installed into most enclosures, flush-mounted junction boxes, behind lights and in wall sockets to control and dim lighting, blinds, shades and activate scenes. The 3-in-1 module can be installed within a few minutes and offers the ability to change functionality with a simple program button. The 3-in-1 module will be available in the EU in Q1 2018 for €70.00.
The Milo Smart Home Speaker (Milo) by Hogar Controls is the first-ever combination smart speaker and home hub to include support for Z-Wave Plus and adds multi-platform access for Zigbee, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices. Milo’s integrated smart hub also works with the Google Assistant, so you can ask questions, control devices throughout your home, stream music and more. A stylish design with on-board one-touch scene control and a smart home mobile app, Milo is an all-in-one solution that give integrators the ability to add Milo anywhere that voice control and entertainment are needed in a project. And, when an integrator pairs Pebble with Milo, Pebble can be used as an add-on device to create additional control zones in the home. For example, consumers can place a Milo in their living room area and a Pebble in their bedroom or other frequently used areas of the home for added scene control in lieu of a Touch Panel. Milo will be available internationally in Q2 2018 for $149/€120 with a one-year warranty.
One of the biggest challenges when building consumer and end-user customer relationships is working to provide education on the benefits of connected living. Particularly for a whole building automation system, showcasing the power of a suite of devices working together is challenging in any showroom. Making it easy for smart home dealers with or without a showroom, Hogar Controls created a unique Interactive Demo Toolkit. The toolkit is an out of the box home and building automation and control system, with built-in devices – both audio, video and control – to show off the power of devices like video doorbells, voice control, motion sensors, climate control and more. With a built-in screen, the toolkit is a “home in a suitcase” model that is easy to transport and gives the dealers a powerful and mobile sales tool. The Hogar Dealer Toolkit is available to qualified dealers for $1299/€1049 and will be on display at the Hogar Controls pod in the Z-Wave Pavilion.
Hogar Controls is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Legrand Nuvo P30 Touch Screen Controller Makes EMEA Debut Legrand is launching its Nuvo P30 touch screen system controller, a fully functioning seven-inch Android tablet housed in a custom enclosure that runs the existing Player Portfolio app. The model, available in white and black (NV-P30-WH and NV-P30-BK), gives users the choice between handheld control via the apps for Android and iOS or in-wall use to suit all music listening experiences.
In addition to being the access point for system control, the touch screen runs streaming services and apps, including Spotify, Pandora and more. You can also access and play music stored on networked devices in the home through the Player Portfolio system. The seven-inch touch panel has a high contrast 1024×600 IPS capacitive screen and a sleek design that blends easily into any room’s décor. The included mounting plate makes installation simple. Its connection to the Player Portfolio system is made via a single RJ45 802.11af PoE connection. The Nuvo P30 touch screen is currently available for $349.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Peerless-AV Launches New HDS-WHDI100 PeerAir System Peerless-AV just launched its next generation of its PeerAir Wireless HD Multimedia System (HDS-WHDI100). Upgraded with a new metal case design, integrated with 802.11n technology (5.745GHz) and external directional antennas that are spec’d to penetrate multiple walls, floors, and ceilings to offer complete wireless coverage, the PeerAir HDS-WHDI100 is also an IR extender for the receiver, ensuring a clean aesthetic where the receiver can be stored out of sight. It can send HDMI, audio (LPCM, PCM Stereo) and control over 100 feet. It has two HDMI inputs so it can act as a switcher for 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p, 480i resolutions.
The new PeerAir is being marketed for homes, corporate settings, classrooms and rental and staging.
The new PeerAir is available now and here are all the tech specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Origin Acoustics’ New VALET Amplifier Uses Alexa Voice Control Origin Acoustics just launched the four-zone system Valet amplifier designed to integrate with an Amazon Echo Dot. Featuring eight 50-watt channels, the Valet amp can be connected to a broad range of speakers and provide the power necessary to drive them to substantial volume levels. The Valet is now available and shipping.
Each of the four stereo zones sports an RJ45 connection that sends power to the Dot over a standard CAT5/6 cable and also returns the audio signal to the amplifier via a proprietary balun. Taking advantage of the Dot’s audio output allows both music and Alexa’s voice to play through the room’s loudspeakers. This is a huge upgrade in audio quality from the Dot’s internal speaker or even the original Echo’s larger transducer.
Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn and SiriusXM libraries can all be accessed and played through the system directly from the Dot. External sources can also be played through the system and the Valet’s Patent Pending muting circuit will mute the external source when Alexa is addressed and unmute when the appropriate action is completed. There is also a twelve-volt trigger for each zone that will allow for additional activation of third party devices upon Alexa being addressed.
The Dot can be ceiling mounted behind a perforated speaker grille identical to the Director 5, 6/8 or 10-inch models, making it virtually invisible in the room but easily voice activated. Up to four Dot’s can be incorporated and since the Dots communicate with each other the entire home becomes an interactive playground.
The Valet amplifier will retail for $1,500 (US) and will include the baluns necessary to integrate with the Echo Dot. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
New Marine Speakers From Origin Acoustics Are 100 Percent WeatherproofOrigin Acoustics just announced its new line of marine loudspeakers. The Explorer collection features seven models that are specifically designed for the harsh environments presented by installations on ocean going vessels.
Utilizing proprietary coatings, the Explorer collection will withstand direct exposure to saltwater as well as extreme temperature and humidity conditions. They will produce incredible musical fidelity while spending family time on the lake or a trip on the open sea. The build quality and components will last for years under these conditions.
Origin says careful attention has been taken to protect every component in the system from the electro-mechanical drivers to the crossover networks. Stainless steel fasteners and connectors have been selected to enhance wire connections and structural durability.
The six round and single rectangular models will begin shipping in April of this year. Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Indy Audio Labs Launches Acurus 20-Channel Immersive Audio ProcessorIndy Audio Labs announced newly expanded Acurus ACT 4 audio processing capabilities. As of Q2 2018, the Acurus ACT 4 will natively decode Dolby Atmos 9.1.6 plus support up to four additional configurable channel outputs, for maximum layouts of 9.5.6 or 9.7.4, all with the attention to audio detail Acurus products are known for worldwide. Available in April 2018 as a hardware/firmware upgrade kit to existing ACT 4 units in the field, all new ACT 4s will be manufactured with the new expanded channel capability built in right from the factory in Jeffersonville Indiana, USA. Additional web-control features and system upgrades to support the upcoming Acurus proprietary automatic room correction tool, ASPEQT (Acurus Speaker Parameter EQ Tool) are included in the new system as well. ASPEQT is scheduled for release in Spring 2018 and will dramatically simplify the process of immersive processor system EQ and room tuning. More specs on the ACT 4 are here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Origin Acoustics’ New Deep Subwoofer Collection ShipsOrigin Acoustics just told us its new line of freestanding subwoofers is now available. The Deep subwoofer collection features four models that blend the performance qualities necessary for both music and cinema sound.
The single driver models will feature 8, 10 and 12-inch aluminum drivers with accompanying passive radiators. They will be driven by 300, 600 and 1,000 watts of Class D power respectively. A dual 12-inch version with two active drivers and 1,200 watts of power will round out the collection.
Onboard DSP will allow for a single band of EQ to be parametrically adjusted via a Bluetooth connected app on the phone. Adjustments will include frequency, level and bandwidth. There are four, user adjustable, presets to save the EQ curves once they have been finalized. An auto EQ function is also included in the app using the phone’s microphone to adjust for a specific listening position.
During the entire development process, the team was focused on a unique look and feel. Unlike the majority of subwoofers that reside in a non-descript black box, the Deep subs will have a fashionable flair. The cabinet will be completely wrapped in a woven cloth with an aluminum top and short aluminum legs to suspend the cabinet off the floor.
The Deep subs will range in price from $650 – $2,000 and are here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
FX Luminaire Debuts Lower-Priced Home Pathway Lighting SolutionsFX Luminaire has added five new midgrade brass fixtures into its product line. The C-UL up light, C-WW wall wash, compact C-PL-4 and larger C-PL-7 path lights, and C-DL down light are all pathway lighting options for clients with modest lighting budgets. The more contemporary fixtures are designed for homes in coastal environments because brass resists corrosion caused by salty air and dissolved minerals.
Designed with MR-16 and G4 lamp bases for ease of serviceability and minimal stocking requirements, the fixtures also offer zoning and dimming capabilities with the use of the Luxor ZD MR-16 lamp or the Luxor Cube. Altogether, the fixtures ensure seamless continuity across the project site.
Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
LumaStream Joins Azione Unlimited LumaStream a manufacturer of low-voltage LED lighting systems for residential and commercial applications has joined the Azione Unlimited buying group serving audio/video integration professionals. LumaStream is an established provider of lighting solutions that have been deployed by top brands such as a US-based luxury electric car manufacturer, multiple nationwide restaurant chains and many houses of worship along with countless residential installations.
Unlike other lighting solutions available for specification to the A/V industry, LumaStream’s complete solution approach to low-voltage lighting systems creates a unique opportunity for A/V integrators to specify and install the entire system. Now integrators have full control over an end-to-end, architectural LED lighting solution that is modern and energy-efficient without the need to be dependent on a licensed electrician. Additionally, LumaStream supports their integration partners with comprehensive lighting design services as well as technical and sales support teams, giving them access to high-level expertise and a pathway to success in the lighting category. For integrators, this can be a particularly attractive proposition, giving them control over lighting fixture placement along with a complete array of smart home and entertainment accessories.
LumaScreen is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
BenQ Launches Four New Monitors, Three With HDR BenQ America today introduced four new models in its popular E-Series of entertainment monitors — including three (HDR) video. Featuring BenQ’s patented Brightness Intelligence Plus technology, the new EX3501R, EW3270U, EL2870U and Brightness Intelligence EW3270ZL each provide a single display for work and play.
The BenQ EX3501R (curved 35″ Ultra-Wide QHD), EW3270U (32″ 4K UHD) and EL2870U (28″ 4K UHD) monitors all support AMD FreeSync — and the EX350IR adds a 100Hz refresh rate. In addition, the EX3501R provides a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio with ultra-high 3440×1440 resolution, perfectly proportioning the 2.35:1 ratio of Cinemascope films and depicting the panoramic background graphics that make gaming fun. The EX3501R also features an ultra-slim, edge-to-edge bezel.
The new EW3270ZL monitor is native QHD 2560×1440 resolution and has 10-bit color, is Rec.709 capable and 100% sRGB color space. In addition, the EW3270ZL delivers multi-device connectivity via dual HDMI, DisplayPort, and Mini DisplayPort inputs. BenQ’s Low Blue Light Plus Technology filters out shorter, higher-energy blue-violet radiation (420~455nm) that can be harmful to the eyes, while keeping the remaining beneficial blue turquoise light (455~480nm).
The BenQ Premium Eye-Care monitors are:
- EX3501R, $899
- EW3270U, $699
- EL2870U, $499
- EW3270ZL, $399
All of them are here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Acoustic Geometry Presents Home Room Packs Acoustic Geometry announces the launch of Home Room Packs, a grouping of acoustical products designed for residential audio spaces. Offering five different options at various price points, these new product packages are designed for multiple rooms in the home.
The Home Room Packs were designed to address a range of common residential acoustical challenges. Home Room Packs 1 and 2 affordably reduce echo and reverberation in small spaces. Room Packs 3, 4 and 5 combine broadband sound absorption with industry-leading phase-coherent diffusion.
Room Pack 1 includes a set of six Fabric-Wrapped Panel sound absorbers that improve the sound of smaller rooms, such as family rooms, dens or libraries. Pack 2’s addition of four larger and thicker Fabric-Wrapped Panel absorbers make it ideal for controlling sound in small home theaters and medium-size media rooms.
The Small Curve Diffusors included in Packs 3 and 4 evenly scatter sound energy, which results in a distributed sound-field that will greatly benefit medium to large theaters, listening rooms and home studios. Home Room Pack 5 includes Medium and Small Curve Diffusors, making it a great value for larger home theaters, listening rooms and professional applications, like home recording studios and control rooms.
Home Room Packs are available in two ‘ship-from-stock’ fabric color options, Broadcast Serengeti or Broadcast Graphite, and any of the basic fabric colors, with a slightly longer lead time. Mounting hardware is included for all products in every Home and Pro Room Pack. More information is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe HomeAV Edition out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the high-end HomeAV industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter – instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV-industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe Publications has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com Back to Top |
Copyright 2018 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe HomeAV Edition contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
|
|
|